The world's best boutique hotels for 2018

Maureen O'Hare, CNN • Updated 9th November 2018

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(CNN) — Sipping Champagne in the Chrysler from the airport. Being greeted with garlands, dining underneath frangipani trees while being served the best in Balinese, Western and Chinese cuisine, then slipping into the plunge pool with spectacular waterfall feature.

In a lavish ceremony at London's Merchant Taylors' Hall on Thursday night, Naomi Siawarta, Awarta's director, picked up the awards for World's Best Boutique Hotel and World's Best Culinary Excellence at the eighth edition of the Boutique Hotel Awards.

Winners were selected from more than 300 nominees in more than 80 countries, with each property visited personally by an experienced hotel judge for a true first-hand guest experience.

Asia was strongly represented with four winners, including the World's Best Private Villa -- The Resort Villa in Rayong, Thailand -- and World's Best Beach or Coastal Hotel -- Reethi Faru Resort in Filaidhoo, Maldives. Awarta's island neighbor, Hanging Gardens of Bali, took the gong for World's Most Stunning Views.

Hotel Grand Windsor in Auckland, New Zealand -- an art deco building elegantly refurbished in 2017 -- was named World's Best New Hotel.

North America was represented by Clayoquot Wilderness Resort in Tofino, Canada -- winner of the award for World's Most Sustainable Hotel -- while last year's overall winner, South Africa's Akademie Street in Franschhoek, was this year named World's Most Romantic Retreat.